People Menu

Founder and CEO, Extreme International – a global leader and expert in the development of extreme and action sports, leisure and entertainment resorts and centres. As the creator of The Extreme Sports TV Channel, Alistair Gosling has more than 25 years of experience advising innovative governments on adventure sports tourism development, and pioneering global marketing campaigns for brands and destinations through athletes, events and media.

Member

Alex Kyriakidis

President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International – with 45 years of experience providing strategic, financial, M&A, operational asset management and integration services to the travel, hospitality and leisure sectors, Alex Kyriakidis is a leading real estate and hospitality player on the global stage.

Member

Bill Reese

CEO, International Youth Foundation – with a focus on youth skills and STEM development, Bill Reese works to bring culturally relevant unique partnerships, initiatives, and curricula that prepare young men and women to succeed as citizens, employees, entrepreneurs, and change-makers.

Chairman

Bob Ward

Founder, Strategic Insights & Creative Imagination – having co-founded Universal Studios Creative as well as being instrumental in the creative repositioning of the Universal Studios Tour to a new and pioneering theme park brand, Bob Ward is at the forefront of planning and design in the global leisure, entertainment and destination resorts sector.

Member

Gilda Perez-Alvarado

Deputy CEO of JLL Americas Hotels and Hospitality Group - Gilda is the leading expert in cross-border hospitality real estate investment, having advised on the sale of some of the most iconic hotels around the world to Sovereign Wealth Funds, Private Equity Groups and Institutional investors. With access to the largest investor pool around the world, Gilda Perez-Alvarado is also at the heart of the latest international lifestyle and development trends in the hospitality real estate sector.

Secretary General of the Advisory Board

Dr. Maryam Ali Ficociello

A governance and organizational change expert, Maryam leads the governance advisory practice at Qiddiya, and across a portfolio of projects owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. She advises the Board and its committees on governance, internal controls, and risk management. Maryam began her career providing advice on the implications of implementing large-scale national development programs in both the UK and Canada, and holds a Doctorate in Innovation & Organizational Change from the London School of Economics.

Member

Maxwell Anderson

President, Souls Grown Deep Foundation – former President of the Association of Art Museum Directors, art historian and administrator, Max Anderson is globally recognized in the creative industries, devoting his career to advancing the mission of non-profit culturalinstitutions, while creating best practices to insure their development, sustainability and youth appeal.

Member

Michael Johnson

Founder of Michael Johnson Performance - one of the most distinctive sprinters in the history of track and field with his powerful, upright stride, Michael Johnson had won 12 Olympic and World Championship gold medals by the time he retired from competition after the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Between 1990 and 1997 he won 58 consecutive 400-metre races. Today he is President and founder of Michael Johnson Performance, a global leader in sports performance training that provides training and support across all sports for every calibre of athlete, from youth to professional to Olympian.

Member

Michael Pask

Founder, Michael Pask Advisory – with over 25 years of experience working for WME IMG, the world’s largest Sports, Entertainment and Media business as Senior VP, Mike Pask is an expert in sports, education, culture and sustainable developments, focusing on brand development, sales, business development and relationship building.

Member

Rosa Zeegers

With more than 25 years’ experience in licensing, consumer products and marketing, Rosa Zeegers specializes in creating brand-building extensions though sustainable products and experiences that engage consumers.

Member

Tim Richards

Founder and CEO, Vue International – one of the top five leading cinema exhibitors in the world known for delivering industry leading innovations and technological advances. Tim Richards has close to 30 years’ experience in cinema exhibition and has extensive international development and operational experience in all major international markets. A film pioneer, Tim has also been integrally involved in all aspects of the film industry including through his involvement as a Governor of the British Film Institute (BFI) and several other government and trade bodies.

Member

Stephen Schwarzman

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Blackstone – as Co-Founder of one of the world’s largest investment firms ($450 billion assets under management as of 3/31/18) Mr. Schwarzman is a trusted partner to the world’s leading institutions. Blackstone is an established leader across alternative asset classes, including private equity, real estate, hedge funds, credit and infrastructure, with investments spanning a wide range of industries and geographies. Mr. Schwarzman is also an active philanthropist with a history of building transformational projects that offer solutions to global challenges.

Alistair Gosling

Member

Founder and CEO, Extreme International – a global leader and expert in the development of extreme and action sports, leisure and entertainment resorts and centres. As the creator of The Extreme Sports TV Channel, Alistair Gosling has more than 25 years of experience advising innovative governments on adventure sports tourism development, and pioneering global marketing campaigns for brands and destinations through athletes, events and media.